And that our past is studded with wonderful stories of betrayal, distrust, violence and all-too-rare attempts to be nice to each other. Taking a piss out of the French somehow gave such satisfaction, that at times I got uneasy with my own Francophobic feelings. But there’s only a handful of sentences mentioning that the British were there to fill their pockets too. A grand portrait of the Duke of Wellington, the man who effectively ended the career of France’s greatest general, Napoleon Bonaparte. I think the book could have used a little bit of poking fun at the British every once in a while, to balance things out and make this interpretation of history come across as a bit more objective.

Stephen Clarke zabiera czytelnika w trwającą tysiąc lat podróż, w sposób niezwykle malowniczy dowodząc, iż małostkowość, krótkowzroczność, zazdrość i zwykła złośliwość, cechująca zarówno "wybitne" jednostki, jak i całe masy ludzkie zamieszkujące tereny obu państw - tak, moim zdaniem zarówno Anglii, jak i Francji obrywa się tutaj po równo - prowadzą do opłakanych skutków, kosztujących nierzadko życia setek tysięcy ludzi. Also, they've always been hospitable too when I've socialised with them except maybe in Marseille so I can't berate them for much. When I started reading it I was pleased to find so many historical details in each chapter, many of which I was unfamiliar with.But in fact, William the Conqueror was an avowed enemy of France and regularly attacked the French King. Of course, there are parts of the book that tackle the issues of our war time differences and how such things are stitched into the fabric of our two nations. This book starts with the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings, where the Duke of Normandy (which is in France) had a very decisive victory against the British. If you are really interested in the historical field of national memory I would highly recommend The Invention of Tradition by Eric Hobsbawm.

One sided and biased (and that’s not a criticism), 1000 Years of Annoying the French is a very good primer on the history of France and Britain and if you already know the history of these two long time rivals, then Clarke’s book gives an irreverent twist to the well known events and make you exclaim, “ Yes! With such an amazing portrayal of French hypocrisy and silliness I think “1,000 Years” would fit nicely on the book shelves of Francophobes. Though I do appreciate that some mistakes the British made during certain conflicts are at least mentioned throughout the book.France also blames the treacherous Anglais for killing Joan of Arc, but she was burnt after being captured by French soldiers and tried as a witch by Parisian monks.

The fact that we are now European partners does not, however, take away from the humour, accuracy and brilliance of this book. Ten centuries' worth of French historical 'facts' bite the dust as Stephen Clarke looks at what has really been going on since 1066 . The novel was an instant success and has led to numerous follow-ups, including Dial M for Merde (2008), 1,000 Years of Annoying the French (2010), and Paris Revealed (2011). I must thank Stephen Clarke for a most insightful history lesson but written in such a way as to be not only very amusing but also very informative.Whenever in history the British suffered a loss, the author always comes up with a handy excuse or turns it around so that the British come out as the moral victors. During the Falklands War for example, the right wing press in the UK insisted that the French were helping Argentina because the equipment used in the invasion had been sold to them by the French. He recounts trips to Crecy and Azincourt (not Agincourt which is hundreds of miles away from the true battle site - with the z) and paints a less than glowing picture of Joan of Arc, religious zealot and manipulative egomaniac. This is a great introduction to anybody wanting to understand the peculiar relationship between two countries separated by a 30 mile stretch of water and 1000 years of colourful history. Starting with William the Conqueror (who, contrary to what the French might claim, wasn't French at all, and died fighting the Paris-based King of the Franks) and going right up to the horrendous diplomatic gaffes inflicted on recent French presidents, I have sifted through our common history for tellable tales, and kept only the juiciest nuggets.